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Get a front-row seat to the University of Colorado's next big ideas competing for $750,000

Jeff Zehnder — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 20:15:17 +0000

Get a front-row seat to the University of Colorado's next big ideas competing for $750,000 Jeff Zehnder Thu, 09/25/2025 - 14:15

Eleven teams of University of Colorado entrepreneurs, faculty researchers and graduate student innovators will compete for a combined $750,000 in startup funding grants in this year’s Lab Venture Challenge (LVC) Showcases at the Dairy Arts Center. Judges from Venture Partners at ��ɫ��Ƶ’s entrepreneurial network will hear Shark Tank-style pitches across two nights, one for innovations in biosciences and another for physical sciences and engineering.

2025 Lab Venture Challenge Showcases

Physical Sciences: Wednesday, Oct. 22, 6 p.m.

Biosciences: Thursday, Oct. 23, 6 p.m.

Dairy Arts Center (2590 Walnut St, Boulder, CO 80302)

Get Tickets

Through LVC, top innovators from ��ɫ��Ƶ, Denver and Colorado Springs compete for grants of up to $125,000. LVC supports projects that address a commercial need, have a clear path to a compelling market and have strong scientific support. The LVC grants are funded by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) Advanced Industries Program, as well as Venture Partners and the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund.

LVC is run by Venture Partners, one of the university’s commercialization arms and a central resource for researchers who wish to translate their work into impactful business and social ventures. LVC finalists are working and collaborating with Venture Partners on their path to commercialization.

“At this early stage, funding is essential, but can be a challenge to obtain,“ said Joshua Bennett, director of LVC and assistant director of licensing at Venture Partners. “All of these teams have promising innovations ready to launch new businesses. LVC is a unique opportunity for those innovators to receive that vital funding, and we’re proud to work with the State of Colorado to make it happen.”

To date, LVC has funded 117 projects through 64 new deep-tech startup companies, which collectively have raised over $349 million in follow-on financing including Darwin Biosciences, Manifest Technologies (prev. Vitro3D) and Mesa Quantum.

Members of the entrepreneurial and university communities are invited to attend the LVC Showcases to enjoy good food, network and see which teams will walk away with $125,000 of funding.

This year’s LVC showcases were additionally made possible by Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti LLP, Johnson & Johnson, Holland & Hart LLP, Paralex and Thermo Fisher Scientific

2025 Physical Sciences Finalists

Breakthrough Analog Domain Jamming Suppression for UAVs

Multi-Domain Anti-Jamming Technology (MDAT) provides real-time interference suppression for military UAVs. With 400x size reduction via analog domain processing, MDAT deploys as 6x6-inch, sub-5lb plug-and-play modules for retrofitting tactical drones, ensuring mission continuity in contested RF environments. The team has formed BoldRF LLC to bring their innovation to market.

Laila Marzall

(��ɫ��Ƶ Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), PI, CEO,

LVC Pitch Presenter
Zoya Popovic
(��ɫ��Ƶ Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), Co-PI
Marisha Parikh
(��ɫ��Ƶ Lockheed Martin Engineering Management Program), Head of Business
Sarah Johns
(Student: ��ɫ��Ƶ Leeds School of Business), Business Strategist
Stephanie Torres
(Student: ��ɫ��Ƶ Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), Product Strategist.
Gary Dolsen
- (Fmr: ��ɫ��Ƶ Leeds School of Business), Advisor

Magnetically Enhanced Electrolysis for H₂ Production

Magnetically Enhanced Electrolysis (MEE) improves hydrogen generation efficiency by enhancing bubble release and energy transfer. Adapted from space technology, MEE offers scalable, cost-effective clean hydrogen for transportation, industry and off-grid power. The team has formed a startup, Agami Zero, to bring their innovation to market.

Oana Luca
(��ɫ��Ƶ Chemistry), PI
Ankur Gupta
(��ɫ��Ƶ Chemical and Biological Engineering), Co-PI
Hunter Koltunski
(��ɫ��Ƶ Chemistry), PhD Researcher, Scientific Lead
Richard Noble (��ɫ��Ƶ Chemical and Biological Engineering), Scientific Advisor
Jafar Makrani

, Co-Founder and CEO/CPO,

LVC Pitch Presenter
Lyle Antieau III

, Co-Founder and CTO/COO,

LVC Pitch Presenter

Novel Synergistic Catalysis for Clean Water and Fuel

SynForce is developing a modular photo-thermo-catalysis device that rapidly activates a wide range of stubborn chemical bonds, enabling carbon-free fuel production at high reaction rates and the destruction of toxic PFAS in water, while reducing energy use and operating costs. The team has formed a startup, Synforce, to bring their innovation to market.

Longji Cui

(��ɫ��Ƶ Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), PI,

LVC Pitch Presenter
Dishan Chooi (Student: ��ɫ��Ƶ Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), Technical Co-Lead
Sarang Gosavi
(Student: ��ɫ��Ƶ Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), Technical Co-Lead
Yunxuan Zhu (Postdoc: ��ɫ��Ƶ Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), Director of R&D
Karen Crofton
- (��ɫ��Ƶ College of Engineering and Applied Science), Advisor

Next-Generation Holographic Materials for AR Displays

A thiol-ene holographic materials platform delivers low-haze, high-refractive-index photopolymers for sharper, more immersive AR displays. This versatile and scalable step-growth method overcomes shrinkage, scattering and supply-chain constraints of existing chain-growth materials for holographic optics.

Christopher Bowman

(��ɫ��Ƶ Chemical and Biological Engineering), Co-PI,

LVC Pitch Presenter,
Robert McLeod
(��ɫ��Ƶ Department of Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), Co-PI
Yunfeng Hu
(Postdoc: ��ɫ��Ƶ Chemical and Biological Engineering)
John Rynk
- (Student: ��ɫ��Ƶ Materials Science & Engineering Program)

A Language-Driven Engine to Deploy Robots Like Software

BoBoRobo’s agentic AI engine turns plain English specifications into ready-to-deploy robotics—validated in a digital twin and safety-checked across OEMs. It outputs layout, BOM, install plan and robot-specific code, cutting deployment timelines from six months to ten days and reducing costs by up to 50%. The team has formed a startup, BoBoRobo, to bring their innovation to market.

Alessandro Roncone

(��ɫ��Ƶ Computer Science), PI, CEO,

LVC Pitch Presenter
Anuj Pasricha
(Student: ��ɫ��Ƶ Department of Computer Science), CTO
Claire Chen
- (Postdoc: ��ɫ��Ƶ Computer Science), CSO

Low SWaP Frequency Comb for Quantum applications

Our Gen-III low-SWaP frequency comb, built on thin-film lithium niobate nanophotonics, delivers octave-spanning spectra with ultra-low power. Compact, scalable and robust, it enables deployable quantum clocks, sensors and communication systems beyond the lab. The team has formed a startup,Chi3 Optics, to bring their innovation to market.

Scott A. Diddams
(��ɫ��Ƶ Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), PI
Tsung-Han Wu (Postdoc: ��ɫ��Ƶ Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), Founder, CEO
Peter Chang
, CTO
Nathan Brooks

, Principal Scientist,

LVC Pitch Presenter

2025 Biosciences Finalists

Metabolite-Based Therapeutics for Obesity

Pythons exhibit dramatic metabolic plasticity with feeding, increasing organ size and activity by up to 40% after consuming large prey. From this biology, the team discovered a novel feeding-induced metabolite that was upregulated by 1,000-fold and acts as a natural appetite suppressant through modulating satiety. The team has formed a startup, Arkana Therapeutics, to bring their innovation to market.

(Postdoc: ��ɫ��Ƶ Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology), CSO,

LVC Pitch Presenter
Jack Gugel
, CEO
Yuxiao Tan
- (Postdoc: ��ɫ��Ƶ Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology), Co-Founder

Bioadhesive Patches That Seal Where Sutures Fail

DuraPatch provides rapid closure of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks during neurosurgery, eliminating the need for sutures. Engineered with high-resolution 3D printing and advanced biomaterials, DuraPatch strongly adheres to wet tissues to create a watertight seal while supporting and promoting healing. The team has founded a startup, Entangl3d, to bring their innovation to market.

Matt Davidson

(��ɫ��Ƶ BioFrontiers Institute), CEO and Founder,

LVC Pitch Presenter
Jason Burdick (��ɫ��Ƶ Chemical and Biological Engineering and BioFrontiers Institute) Co-Founder, PI
Peter Lennarson
- (CU Anschutz Medical Campus), Advisor

Vaporizable Droplets for Proton Beam Visualization

Vaporizable exoskeletal droplets provide in vivo visualization of beam placement during proton therapy, a rapidly growing treatment approach for cancer. Using this image-guided therapy, clinicians can make real-time adjustments to the treatment, reducing harmful side effects and improving patient outcomes. The team has formed a startup, Radiosensitive VEDs, to bring their innovation to market.

Mark Borden
(��ɫ��Ƶ Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering), PI
William Frantz

(Student ��ɫ��Ƶ Biomedical Engineering),

LVC Pitch Presenter
Barry Marston
- , Advisor

Computationally Designed IL-18 binders to Treat Sepsis

Enabled by recent advances in AI-driven protein design, minibinders are being engineered to target IL-18, a key driver of sepsis. These compact, stable proteins penetrate tissues efficiently and can be precisely dosed to avoid prolonged immune suppression, offering a next-generation therapeutic for sepsis. The team has formed a startup, iMembrane Therapeutics, to bring their innovation to market.

Jingshi Shen (��ɫ��Ƶ Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology), PI
Suzhao Li (CU Anschutz Medical Campus), President,

LVC pitch presenter
Charles Dinarello (CU Anschutz Medical Campus), Advisor

Nanorobotic Synthesis of Oligonucleotides

Modern DNA synthesis suffers from low overall yields due to the accumulation of errors for longer strands. The team has designed a nanorobotic synthesis platform which can detect and correct errors during synthesis, enabling ultra-high fidelity synthesis of gene-length DNA for single-cell omics and genomics application. The team has formed a startup, Nanosynth, to bring their innovation to market.

Joshua Johnson

(��ɫ��Ƶ ATLAS Institute), CEO,

, Advisor

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Kristi Anseth awarded National Academy of Engineering's founders award

Jeff Zehnder — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 17:04:02 +0000

Kristi Anseth awarded National Academy of Engineering's founders award Jeff Zehnder Tue, 09/16/2025 - 11:04

Distinguished Professor Kristi Anseth, of chemical and biological engineering, has been named the recipient of the 2025 Simon Ramo Founders Award by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) “for outstanding contributions to new bioresponsive polymeric materials and their applications in tissue engineering and for leadership in biomaterial science education and research.”

Anseth, also the associate faculty director of ��ɫ��Ƶ’s BioFrontiers Institute, designs biomaterials that interact with living tissues to promote repair and regeneration, aiding in healing injuries and diseases. Her lab works with hydrogels—a degradable biomaterial—to deliver molecules at the right time and sequence to accelerate the healing process. Her team is also growing miniaturized versions of heart cells and tissues, known as organoids, to better understand disease mechanisms and explore new types of heart disease treatments, such as to repair heart muscles after heart attacks.

Anseth is also among the select few innovators elected to all three National Academies: Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Beyond her scientific contributions, she has been recognized with more than 50 major awards and delivered over 60 honorary lectureships worldwide.

Read the NAE story

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Building community around electrochemistry and energy innovation

Jeff Zehnder — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 14:48:30 +0000

Building community around electrochemistry and energy innovation Jeff Zehnder Mon, 09/15/2025 - 08:48

Building on the momentum of the well-attended 2023 materials chemistry gathering, a new workshop brought together students, faculty and national lab staff from across the Front Range for a focused conversation on electrochemistry—with a strong emphasis on batteries, energy storage and the role of machine learning in accelerating innovation.

Professor Michael Toney, co-organizer for the 2025 Front Range Electrochemistry Workshop (FREW), explained that while the meeting broadly addressed electrochemical science, this year’s focus on batteries reflects their increasing relevance to everything from electric vehicles to renewable energy infrastructure.

“Electrochemistry is a very energy-efficient way of driving chemical reactions to produce useful products,” he said. “That includes emerging battery technologies, which are key to storing electricity generated by solar or wind when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing.”

Among the invited speakers was Assistant Professor Kayla Sprenger, who spoke on her group's innovative approaches using simulations to model battery interfaces. The event aimed not only to highlight cutting-edge research—including the potential of AI to optimize battery materials and testing—but also to build community among graduate students and early-career researchers. As Toney noted, many students work in small lab groups and don’t always realize how many peers and potential collaborators are just a short drive away.

Co-organized with Eric Toberer, a physics professor at Colorado School of Mines, the workshop also included collaborative pitch sessions, where student teams proposed new research ideas for cash prizes. Pitch and poster session awardees included CEAS graduate students Loren Andrews, Rebecca Beswick, Peter Romero, Bryce Rives and Cindy Wong.

With around 100 attendees—mostly students—the event fostered both technical exchange and professional networking, creating space for new ideas, mentorship and cross-institution partnerships across the region.

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Wil Srubar named American Ceramic Society fellow

Jeff Zehnder — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 21:48:35 +0000

Wil Srubar named American Ceramic Society fellow Jeff Zehnder Thu, 07/03/2025 - 15:48

Professor Wil Srubar has been named a fellow of The American Ceramic Society (ACerS), one of the highest honors for researchers in cement chemistry. Fellows of the American Ceramics Society are recognized for their contributions to the ceramics, cements and materials science community.

“Being named a Fellow of the American Ceramics Society is incredibly humbling,” Srubar said. “I’m honored to be included among such an accomplished group of peers who have advanced the field through research, innovation and service.”

Srubar is the principal director of the Living Materials Laboratory, where an interdisciplinary team develops nature-inspired concrete alternatives that can be produced without fossil fuels or significant carbon emissions.

He recently served as the conference chair for the 15th Advances in Cement-Based Materials, held June 11-13 at the ��ɫ��Ƶ. Srubar also previously held several ACerS leadership roles, including cements division chair, chair-elect and secretary.

He will be recognized on Sept. 29 at the ACerS Honors and Awards Banquet during the society’s 127th annual meeting to be held in Columbus, Ohio.

“I’m grateful to the mentors, collaborators and students who’ve shaped my journey and made this recognition possible,” Srubar said.

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Flickr Album: 2025 Materials Science and Engineering Graduation Ceremony

Jeff Zehnder — Mon, 12 May 2025 16:07:19 +0000

Flickr Album: 2025 Materials Science and Engineering Graduation Ceremony Jeff Zehnder Mon, 05/12/2025 - 10:07

Students, faculty, family, and friends marked the 2025 Materials Science and Engineering graduation in a special ceremony Friday, May 9.

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Kristi Anseth recognized with international VinFuture Prize for Women Innovators

Jeff Zehnder — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 22:11:54 +0000

Kristi Anseth recognized with international VinFuture Prize for Women Innovators Jeff Zehnder Mon, 12/16/2024 - 15:11

Kristi Anseth, a Distinguished Professor and Tisone Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, has been awarded the prestigious VinFuture Special Prize for Women Innovators in recognition of her pioneering research in tissue engineering. Winners were selected from nearly 1,500 scientific nominations spanning more than 80 countries and territories worldwide.

Anseth, also the associate faculty director of ��ɫ��Ƶ’s BioFrontiers Institute, said she was deeply honored to receive the recognition.

“It is one that I will cherish for years to come,” said Anseth after being presented with the award Dec. 6 at the 2024 VinFuture Prize Award Ceremony in Hanoi, Vietnam. “I thank the VinFuture Foundation for sponsoring this award to highlight the innovation of women in science and engineering.”

Anseth designs biomaterials that interact with living tissues to promote repair and regeneration, aiding in healing injuries and diseases. Her lab works with hydrogels—a degradable biomaterial—to deliver molecules at the right time and sequence to accelerate the healing process. Her team is also growing miniaturized versions of heart cells and tissues, known as organoids, to better understand disease mechanisms and explore new types of heart disease treatments, such as to repair heart muscles after heart attacks.

Anseth said she has been fortunate to work in the dynamic and evolving field of biomaterials and to be working at ��ɫ��Ƶ.

“The translation of bioengineering across biology and medicine remains a frontier with many opportunities to explore,” she said. "I believe that many of the major breakthroughs in the next decade will continue at this interface and lead to improvements in healthcare for people everywhere.

“��ɫ��Ƶ has provided an amazing environment for a nearly 30-year career. I started as a faculty member in 1996, and the community of faculty and students has been an amazing environment to support my own learning and creativity. What’s the phrase—'minds to match our mountains’? I feel fortunate to be surrounded by exceptional people.”

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Jason Burdick elected to National Academy of Medicine

Jeff Zehnder — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 21:15:26 +0000

Jason Burdick elected to National Academy of Medicine Jeff Zehnder Mon, 10/21/2024 - 15:15

Bowman Endowed Professor Jason Burdick of the BioFrontiers Institute and the Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine.

"NAM membership reflects the height of professional achievement and commitment to service," and Jason was chosen "for innovative biomaterials and biofabrication techniques and their application as in vitro models of biological and disease processes, as well as therapies for the repair and regeneration of injured musculoskeletal and cardiovascular tissues."

Jason's impactful work has also resulted in him being named among the Top 1% of Highly Cited Researchers by Clarivate Analytics/Web of Science and founding multiple companies to translate his lab's work into biomedical solutions.

The NAM Class of 2024 includes 100 new members elected by current members, bringing total membership to over 2400.

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Register for the ��ɫ��Ƶ Innovation in Materials Symposium

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 15:59:30 +0000

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Flickr Album: Materials Science & Engineering Graduation 2024

Anonymous — Mon, 13 May 2024 15:34:28 +0000

Flickr Album: Materials Science & Engineering Graduation 2024 Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/13/2024 - 09:34

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CU Engineering faculty land prestigious multidisciplinary Department of Defense projects

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 15:20:15 +0000

CU Engineering faculty land prestigious multidisciplinary Department of Defense projects Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 04/22/2024 - 09:20

Three faculty members from the ��ɫ��Ƶ College of Engineering and Applied Science are conducting projects awarded through the U.S. Department of Defense’s Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) Program.

The highly competitive research program has been enabling major contributions to military capabilities and producing commercial sector applications since 1985.

“Our college emphasizes collaboration across various research disciplines,” said Michael Gooseff, associate dean for research in the College of Engineering and Applied Science. “By prioritizing programs like MURI, we harness the diverse expertise across STEM fields to push the envelope for scientific breakthroughs.”

The three new MURI projects in the college include:

Mahmoud Hussein, professor in aerospace engineering sciences and in physics, will improve air flow across the wings and bodies of hypersonic aircraft through the use of phononic subsurface materials;
Francois Barthelat, professor in mechanical engineering, will develop and validate models for the failure of materials and structures under extreme loads; and
Scott Diddams, professor in electrical, computer and energy engineering and in physics, will examine the fundamental limits in heterodyne detection of thermal radiation with laser light.

Hussein is the main principal investigator and represents ��ɫ��Ƶ as the lead institution for that MURI project. Barthelat and Diddams will be collaborating on projects led by faculty from other peer institutions.

Each project will receive an average award of $7.5 million over the next five years.

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News

Get a front-row seat to the University of Colorado's next big ideas competing for $750,000

2025 Lab Venture Challenge Showcases

2025 Physical Sciences Finalists

Breakthrough Analog Domain Jamming Suppression for UAVs

Magnetically Enhanced Electrolysis for H2 Production

Novel Synergistic Catalysis for Clean Water and Fuel

Next-Generation Holographic Materials for AR Displays

A Language-Driven Engine to Deploy Robots Like Software

Low SWaP Frequency Comb for Quantum applications

2025 Biosciences Finalists

Metabolite-Based Therapeutics for Obesity

Bioadhesive Patches That Seal Where Sutures Fail

Vaporizable Droplets for Proton Beam Visualization

Computationally Designed IL-18 binders to Treat Sepsis

Nanorobotic Synthesis of Oligonucleotides

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Kristi Anseth awarded National Academy of Engineering's founders award

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Building community around electrochemistry and energy innovation

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Wil Srubar named American Ceramic Society fellow

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Flickr Album: 2025 Materials Science and Engineering Graduation Ceremony

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Kristi Anseth recognized with international VinFuture Prize for Women Innovators

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Jason Burdick elected to National Academy of Medicine

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Register for the ��ɫ��Ƶ Innovation in Materials Symposium

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Flickr Album: Materials Science & Engineering Graduation 2024

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CU Engineering faculty land prestigious multidisciplinary Department of Defense projects

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Magnetically Enhanced Electrolysis for H₂ Production